Chapter 5
‘This is where I used to live?’
Luke scanned the dilapidated building with eyes full of dissatisfaction.
Inscribed above the main gate was “Sowol Hall.”
Sowol Hall.
It was a place Luke knew well.
Originally, this building had been used to house guests who visited the Schnelden family.
There had been a separate building for VIPs; Sowol Hall was where guests of “ordinary” rank stayed.
That very place had now become the residence of a direct bloodline descendant.
‘And the maintenance is a mess, too.’
It had been a decent enough building in the past, but without any repairs, its age was now plainly felt.
Despite being the residence of a direct descendant, it looked no different from lodgings used by others.
‘Have they no money left to maintain the home of a direct descendant?’
Every time he saw the state of the family, that was all he could think.
Schnelden was not a place that emphasized martial arts alone.
To sustain such a large family, they had taken a great interest in commerce and had quite a number of enterprises under their wing.
Just how had they managed to lose all of that in merely 200 years?
At this point, he even began to think that the family’s sorry state might not be solely Melbin’s doing.
‘No, that’s not right.’
Luke quickly shook his head.
‘No matter what, I shouldn’t curse those children.’
Surely they had fought desperately to save the household as well.
He could reprimand the descendants after he had restored the situation entirely; it wouldn’t be too late then.
“Huu……”
Luke took a deep breath and composed himself.
‘Anyway, I succeeded in splitting my core back at the infirmary.’
Though the goal still seemed far, he was getting closer step by step.
And faster than expected, at that.
The fact that his stomach churned every time he saw the family’s state was a flaw, but if it was to restore the family’s glory, he could endure this much.
‘Yes, the revival of the family starts from here.’
“Young master? What are you doing instead of going inside?”
Just as he was inwardly declaring his grand ambitions, Torbin tactlessly interrupted his flow.
“You tactless fool.”
“Yes?”
“Never mind. Let’s go in.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No.”
“But why do you look like that?”
“I have my reasons.”
“You’re upset with me about something right now, aren’t you?”
“I said I’m not.”
Just as Luke and Torbin were bickering and about to enter Sowol Hall.
“It seems your body is doing better, from the looks of it.”
A voice came from the side.
Luke inwardly flinched.
Someone had approached this close without him sensing any sign of their presence.
Something that would have been unthinkable in the old days.
He figured it would take quite a long time to get used to this body.
Luke sighed inwardly and looked at the owner of the voice.
A middle-aged man with black hair stood there.
‘So that child is my descendant.’
Luke recognized him at once.
A clear, refreshing aura reminiscent of the northern snow winds.
Because the unique aura of the Schnelden family felt especially strong from him.
He had been inwardly curious and wanted to observe his descendant.
After all, wasn’t this a descendant who shared his blood?
But Torbin, who was beside him, poked him in the side, making that impossible.
“We greet the Patriarch.”
The Patriarch.
Then that meant this man was currently his father.
“I heard you lost your memory. Are you feeling better?”
“Uh…… I’m still in the process of recovering it.”
“Do you remember nothing of this father?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Huu……”
A sad light passed through the Patriarch’s eyes.
It was only natural that his child could not remember his father.
“Still, it’s a relief that you look well.”
“It is a Schnelden body, is it not? That much doesn’t faze me.”
“Then, will you be able to attend the tea time promised earlier?”
Luke glanced at Torbin.
He had never heard anything about a tea time.
‘This sounds like a hassle. Tell him I don’t think I can do it.’
Luke spoke with his eyes toward Torbin.
But the answer came in a completely different direction.
“If it is the young master, it will be possible!”
“Huh?”
“I asked the physician, and he said there is nothing wrong with the young master’s body. Though his memory has yet to return, there will be no strain in attending a tea time.”
The Patriarch nodded, seeming satisfied with Torbin’s answer.
“That is welcome news. Then, Butler Torbin will see to your instruction?”
“Of course.”
“That is reassuring. Then I shall see you then, Luke.”
“Then please take care on your way back, Patriarch.”
Torbin kept his head bowed until he was out of sight.
Luke looked at Torbin with displeased eyes.
“What’s with you?”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why? Who said you could decide on a tea time on your own?”
“Then what kind of tea time is it?”
“It is a gathering where the Cornelio support delegation will be present.”
Hearing that made him want to go even less.
He already disliked Cornelio, and now they wanted him to sit and drink tea with them?
He wanted to refuse immediately, but he couldn’t.
This was also an opportunity for Luke.
An opportunity to see how the Cornelio lot had changed from 200 years ago.
He had to know what kind of fellows the enemy were before he could respond.
“Is that so?”
“Now is not the time for this. Please hurry inside.”
As soon as they entered Sowol Hall, Torbin brought out a tea set.
Luke could tell at a glance that the tea set was cheap.
To think that a supposedly prestigious family would use a tea set that looked like something sold at a street market.
Now he didn’t even have the energy to sigh.
“What is that?”
“Did you not lose your memory, young master? Thus you must relearn etiquette.”
Clink.
Pourrr.
Torbin spoke as he elegantly poured the tea.
He seemed to be showing what etiquette entailed.
“I do not have time to teach you everything, so I shall instruct you on the essentials in a crash course. You learned all of this before, so your memory should return quickly.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Torbin looked like he was about to cry at Luke’s half-hearted response.
Because he felt no desire to learn from him whatsoever.
‘I thought the young master had changed, but did I misjudge him?’
Reluctant as he was to admit it, Cornelio’s standing was far higher than Schnelden’s current position.
Even as a bloodline descendant of Schnelden, securing a seat with them was no easy matter.
This time, by sheer luck, the opportunity had arisen because the eldest young master’s schedule did not align.
And yet Luke showed no motivation whatsoever.
But that unpleasant feeling soon turned to surprise.
Pourrr.
Because Luke was skillfully pouring the tea.
Luke holding the teapot looked more refined than any socialite star.
“Young master……”
“What, is there a problem?”
“Ah, no. It is perfect.”
He even poured more neatly and elegantly than before he lost his memory.
And for good reason—Luke had lived his whole life in a prestigious family, so it was ingrained in him like a habit.
But Torbin, who knew nothing of that fact, opened his eyes wide.
“Could it be that your memory is returning?”
“It’s not that my memory has returned…… Just a feeling that my body remembers?”
“But doesn’t that mean your old memories are returning bit by bit?”
“Yes, anyway. That means there’s no need for further etiquette lessons, right?”
“Yes, at this level there is no need for separate lessons.”
“Since you went through the trouble of preparing it, I’ll drink this tea.”
“Yes, understood.”
Torbin smiled awkwardly and left the room.
He hadn’t expected the week-long crash course he had planned to end so easily.
Who would have known?
That the young master, thought to have lost all his memory, would remember etiquette.
‘But is it truly a good thing for the young master to recover his memories?’
It was a disrespectful thought, but he couldn’t help thinking it.
Torbin walked down the hallway, unable to sort out his complicated thoughts.
* * *
Ten days later.
The main house of Schnelden, which had long been devoid of any vitality, was bustling with activity for the first time in a while.
“Did you move everything I mentioned?”
“This is the last of it.”
“Hurry. There isn’t enough time to finish the other preparations.”
“How is that our fault? It’s because the Cornelio side keeps pushing back the schedule.”
“Move faster instead of complaining.”
Head Butler Dion surveyed the work with an anxious expression.
Meanwhile, Luke watched with dissatisfaction.
‘Tsk tsk, being dragged around by Cornelio. What is the point of all this……’
The Cornelio support delegation had originally been scheduled to arrive two days ago.
Even that had been later than originally planned, but Schnelden had prepared accordingly without a word of complaint.
Yet they had sent word without any prior notice that they would be delayed another two days.
‘Something unimaginable in my day.’
He was displeased, but at the same time, it stung.
After all, Cornelio held the purse strings, so such audacity was possible.
The weak and lacking side had no choice but to endure and wait.
Dong, dong, dong.
Just as the preparations were nearly complete, the sound of a bell rang from afar.
“Those who are to receive the support delegation, follow me. The rest, finish up.”
“Yes.”
It was the signal that the Cornelio support delegation had arrived at the foot of Mount Schnelden.
Rushing out to the main gate, he saw a splendid procession of carriages in the distance.
The procession was massive, easily exceeding fifty meters in length.
Among them, two carriages stood out prominently.
Carriages decorated with splendor and red accents unlike the others.
Those were reserved exclusively for Cornelio’s bloodline.
‘So they sent collateral branch members, not direct descendants?’
The carriages used by direct descendants were far more splendid than those.
‘Then am I the one receiving them?’
A direct bloodline descendant—himself—was out here.
That alone was already a blow to his pride.
Since Cornelio had sent collateral branch representatives, it would have been appropriate for Schnelden to send collateral descendants as well.
But that was only in Luke’s “day.”
The current Schnelden was in a position of receiving Cornelio’s support.
Even if it wounded their pride, it was not strange for a direct descendant to come out to the main gate to greet them.
‘Let’s think on the bright side. At least the Patriarch didn’t come out.’
A Patriarch would only come out to greet a mere support delegation if the houses were bound by a bond of brotherhood.
It was called a bond of brotherhood between houses, but in reality, the relationship was no different from that of a master and his lackey.
As long as that wasn’t the case, it was fine.
Luke truly thought so.
But his wish was tragically shattered moments later.
Thud, thud.
With the sound of footsteps, the people all bowed their heads in unison.
“Patriarch, you have come.”
The Head Butler announced who he was.
“You have worked hard. Has the support delegation arrived?”
“Yes, fortunately they did not change the schedule at the last minute this time.”
“We do not know yet. They might stop the carriage again, claiming they suddenly felt dizzy.”
It really was the Patriarch.
Judging by the looks of things, this had happened more than once or twice.
“Damn it.”
A soft curse flowed from Luke’s lips.